Honest London...part two

It is an intriguing question: just how honest are Londoners? Last week, we tested their collective integrity by leaving bicycles unchained at various points around the capital and were pleasantly surprised to find no one tried to steal them.

But then we wondered if things would be different with a more tempting offer - like hard cash.

To find out, we visited 10 central London cash machines. Our reporter ordered some money but then walked off apparently having forgotten her cash, an open invitation for the next person in the queue to pocket the funds.

However, it seems many Londoners are scrupulously honest.

Nine out of 10 raised the alarm and handed the cash back - in some cases abandoning their place in the queue and chasing after our reporter.

Jenny Lewis, a 24-year-old marketing assistant from north London, was quick to alert us at a Lloyds TSB machine in Binney Street off Oxford Street.

"I think most people in London are honest at heart and would hand the money back," she said. "It is the automatic thing to do and if you put yourself in that situation, it would be nice to think someone would give it back."

But on only one occasion the cash appeared to be surreptitiously pocketed.

10.38am High Street, Kensington: a large man with a shaven head arrives at the cash machine as our reporter leaves. It is impossible to see whether he takes the money as he stands over the machine but, when he leaves, the cash is gone.

11.26am Brompton Road, Knightsbridge: a man in his forties gives up his place in the queue to follow the reporter and hand back the money.

11.57am Sloane Street, Knightsbridge: a well-dressed woman in her thirties calls our reporter back, while another customer stands guard by the machine, gesturing at the abandoned ?10 note.

12.13pm Portman Square, Marylebone: a young man calls out and hands over the

12.50pm Oxford Street: a woman in a green shawl and long hippie-style skirt performs a double take before yelling out: "Excuse me, come back, you've left your money."